4th Edition Pennsylvania Dependency Benchbook – Office of Children & Families in the Courts

Pennsylvania Dependency Benchbook 4th Edition

The Pennsylvania Dependency Benchbook 4th Edition was released in February 2025. It is a comprehensive reference guide designed to assist family court judges and child dependency practitioners in helping abused and neglected children and their families. It was written by Pennsylvania judges for Pennsylvania judges.

The Pennsylvania Dependency Benchbook is an all-inclusive resource that combines Pennsylvania law, organized pragmatically to allow quick and efficient use, with a series of state and national best practices. It provides judges and practitioners, from the least to the most experienced, with the best possible information to support children and families safely. This revised edition includes new information on Autism, Educational Success and Truancy, and Family Finding.

While the Benchbook was created by judges for judges, we encourage everyone involved in Pennsylvania’s Child Dependency system to access and utilize this resource.

To view an interactive full-screen version of the Benchbook, click on the four arrow icon below the Benchbook cover. Use the arrows to change pages. An interactive PDF of the Benchbook can be downloaded by clicking the three ellipse “…”. You can also use the bookmarks and the search function to locate specific areas of interest.

You can scroll down this page to find the various Benchbook chapters. Click on the chapter you wish to visit.

Finally, to order a hardcopy of the Benchbook click here.